EMG DG20

strat replacement pickup system

I put this set in a MIM 50th anniv. strat. The stock stuff had to go.

Everything that this set claims to do is true. It sounds really good with the bells and whistles going. To my ear the SA pickups are a bit flat without the effect knobs engaged. And they are just that on board effects. Basically a super glassy strat knob and a humbuckerish knob.

I sold this set because it ate batteries !! I thought, 500 (or 800 whatever it says) hours is a lot of playing time. I didn't get that kind of performance. No where close. And no, I didn't leave it plugged in and forget it. If you wanted to have a luthier cut a hole for a batt compartment in your guitar, maybe it would be ok. Too much hassle with that pickguard nonsense.

EMG Davey Gilmore set.

I put these in my beloved custom strat, that has been my Number 1 for years. I've had probable ten different sets of pickups in this guitar: HSS, SSS - EMG's SV set, HH, HSH. A lot of different brands and a lot of different models - seeking the holy grail of tone. These are good, but not quite the holy grail... but they're stayin in 'Ole Blue'(Which is now trans Orange with tortoise p/g).

Excellent!!! Trust these reviews, these are great and very versatile.

You can dial in about any Strat sound you want. The great thing about the EXG and the SPC is that you can subtley beef things up or add/take away bright without mucking the rest of the tone, like a reg. tone control does. If you are a hardcore humbucker purist (bridge) you can't quite get there. But for me, most humbuckers are too muddy and garbled and can only do one thing; play with distortion - they generally sound like crap, played clean. (I do have an Ash Strat with Dim. Virtual PAFs in it [HSH], which are pretty versatile) But when you want to rock, you can't beat em. I usually hate the "single in the bridge sound" of most strats, but this one is awesome. You can dial in many great bridge sounds and they work with a lot of different amp settings. I've used some other EMG sets that are a little sterile sounding, but these are very alive and natural sounding.

For me, my guitar has to be versatile and able to get many good clean or in between sounds, yet still be able to rock hard when I want it to. EMG DG20's do it for me. They're staying!!!

Pre-wired Single Coil SA active pickup set, as used by David Gilmour in his red Strat.

Looks-wise, it's a classic Strat configuration of volume and two tone controls. However, Tone 1 is an EXG Expander which boosts lows and highs, Tone 2 is an SPC Mid-Boost. Also, the Volume control is fitted with a treble bleed circuit which retains tone as the volume knob is turned back.

I have been using this pickup set in one of my Strats for about 6 years now. It's a late 90's American US Standard with maple neck, fitted with Kahler 2310 tremolo system and Sperzel locking heads.

After some experimenting with the combination of EXG and SPC, I was able to get a really diverse range of great tones. The SPC is billed as a humbucking sound but it's not - it simply adds body back to the sound but that's ok - it's a very pleasing sound and works great in combination with the EXG.

Let me just say, at this point, that you WILL struggle to hear the full sonic range of these pickups at "bedroom" volumes. That can be said for any pickups but I particularly find it to be the case with the SAs. Give them some volume and headroom and they really will sing.

For my stock rhythm tone, I keep the EXG around 5, and the SPC at 2. This is a very full sound for chord work and produces a nice ringing tone with added body. Works well for both clean and crunch tones. For leads, I boost the SPC which doesn't add much volume but subtly thickens up the tone and really cuts through. Like I said above, you don't really hear the difference at low volumes but in a band situation, at full volume, the difference is clear. For quieter, slightly gritty, passages, I turn the volume back to around 3-4 and boost the EXG (perfect for the "Shine On" intro, for example).

These pickups are, on the whole, highly responsive to picking technique and will reproduce exactly what you play.

With both tone controls at 1, you're in more regular Strat territory. I hear a lot of people complain that the SA's passive sound is dull and lifeless but I don't hear that at all...it's just different from the active sound. OK, it's by no means a classic vintage Strat tone but its still perfectly usable.

I'm playing through a Marshall JMP1 preamp, Marshall EL34 50/50 power amp. I use Keeley modified TS9DX & SD-1 overdrive pedals, and a Keeley Compressor and Keeley Katana Boost. I use a Boss GT-8 for chorus, delays and additional EQ, and it all then goes through a BBE 482 Sonic Maximiser and Palmer speaker simulators and into the PA in stereo (PA EQ is always flat). For backline, I have a Marshall 1960A 4x12 cab.

I can't see past this pickup configuration. It gives me everything I ask of it, from single coil country twang to screaming rock. Been playing guitar for 25 years and this is the closest I've ever come to having "that" sound. Admittedly, the pickups are only a part of the overall tone but they are one of the most important since everything else depends on the sound they produce.

I recently bought a Custom Shop Clapton Signature Strat with the new noiseless pickups installed. They are very good and, as the name suggests, extremely quiet, but I haven't been able to get any sound that I can't produce from the my EMG-enabled Strat (save for the 25Db mid-boost which sounds great when Clapton uses it but it's not for me).

The major gripe that everyone has with this pickup set is that the battery lives under the pickguard, as standard, and replacement involves removing most of the pickguard screws. This is indeed a pain but I had a friendly luthier install a battery compartment on the back of the guitar (similar to the one on the new VG Strat) so I don't have the problem anymore and can change batteries in seconds. He had to gouge a hole for it but it hasn't adversely affected the sound of the guitar. Can't really blame EMG for this as the product is designed to be installed without any mods to the physical guitar so it's just one of those things really.

Single coil David Gilmour setup. Active with the two tone controls, EXG and SPC.

Put them in a 2006 Fender American Deluxe Strat. Olympic white pearl, rosewood neck, abalone inlays, fender locking bridge (now unavailable), and a LSR roller nut with locking tuners. I built this guitar because I had the deluxe body laying around and loved the color of it so I thought I would try something different and go with active pickups. It helps to have a friend who works in a music store so he can get me the Fender parts at cost plus 10%.

First of let me say I've been playing professionally for 25 years, have over 25 various PRS, Gibson, Fender, Guild, Hamer, G&L, Parker, Godin, Rickenbacker, well you get the picture. Along with that Marshall JMP's, Marshall JCM 800's, Mesa Dual Rectifier, Twins, Dual Showman, Line 6 (yeah I know), various class A stuff, anyway... I have never in all my years owned an active pickup system guitar. So I decided to put this strat together with EMG's. I "switch channels" with my volume knob and I found the pot very smooth and user friendly. The output is very hot with the tone controls in play. I like the SPC quite a bit. EMG says this will give you a humbucker sound. Let me just say it won't. It's still a single coil bridge pickup and it sound like one with a midrange boost. Now that's not to say that's bad. It's a unique sound and very usable, in fact I use the midrange boost on my clean sounds quite a bit. The EXG treble bass expander seems a tad bright by it self and needs the addition of the mids. It's strange, the sound gets brighter and fuller but the bass seems to get tubby and wants to overdrive everything and distort. This only happens with the EXG cranked and the SPC off though. I haven't heard the "sterile" issue other people say they get with active systems, in fact this sounds more like a "Strat" than my other strats. With this system you get all the strat sounds plus a few it extra ones. With a good quality class A amp, like my Univalve these pickups really sound good.

I would recommend these to any one. The list price off $300 seems a bit steep but you can find them for less. The one drawback will be changing the battery. If this thing goes dead at a gig forget it. You'll have to take the strings as well as the pickguard off to change it, so bring a backup axe. I suggest changing the battery every fourth or fifth time you change the strings just to be safe. 9 volts are like what, $1.50 compared to showing up to a show and no sound? They say the battery will last 500 hours but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I have a few issues with this system but overall i really like it. Overall the sound is very professional, very clean and very versatile. Oh yeah one more thing, you won't sound like David Gilmour with these unless you have 4 Hiwatts and $80,000 in outboard gear and switching systems, sorry.

Black SA in a black pickguard.

I wanted a meaner tonality from my meek sounding 96 MIM strat. I've have it professional setup and plays smoother than any US or MIM strat i've ever played so it deserved such a great setup. I used a black 3 ply pickguard to add to the gilmour vibe since my strat is black with a maple neck. I also got it specially with the black SA's instead of white just to be different.

I like a SRV growl in my leads so I use the spc all the time. I use this guitar for both Jazz and metal. With the EMG's in it I can fingerpick for a nice mellow tone or kick in my Digitech distortion factory for brutal metal. With a higher gain setup metal would be simple for I all ready get a perfect lamb of god tone out of this setup.

I've had it for about 2 months and love it. Now several local guitarists are begging me to install this setup in there guitars for them ( not that hard to install but some people are just helpless I guess).

Single coil EMG DG-20.. Designed around dave gilmour I think

I bought these for my ten year old USA strat standard. I had a bit of hum out of the pickups. the pots were getting a little dirty and one seemed to be broke. So rather than but a hole heap of stuff to repair em I decided to buy these. I'am a pink floyd fan. I do like the early rusty strat sound gilmour has. more rythm than lead. I don't want to sound like him though. :-)..

The pickups sound great.. let me phrase that for you. The two chips built in give a great sound. but it doesn't sound like my old strat did. I play through a peavy valveking 212. the pickups are totally savage but I recall being able to manage the sound a little better. I don't think I'm use to controlling these pickups and its tough to go between clean and rough sounds with out fiddling the controls a bit. There is a lot of bass range comming through its intense sound.
HOWEVER there is no noise what so ever. And thats saying a lot when you have a valve amp. I'll give it a ten because it hasn't really lost any sound and it has eliminated the hum!!!

Well overall I'm gonna have to say savage setup because the wiring is done so well in the pickups. BUT would someone in EMG measure a strat body and ensure every set of pickups is cut and measured properly. I had a bit of trouble squeezing this into my strat. which made me wonder.

the only problem with these is you have to take the scratch plate of when you change strings and swap your rechargable battery. I forsee screw holes and threads in the wood being worn away and having to be filled with wood putty. For that one snag it gets 9

If you've read almost any of the other reviews, you already know. If not, then read a few other reviews or check EMG's site...

60th Anniversary MIM Strat
All electronics, replacing stock
Me and a few others
Had 'em before in a different Strat, and loved them then

The output is a bit hotter than stock, but easily overcome.
Playing through Boss ME50 and GE7 EQ into a Frontman 25A.
I can't leave the bloody knobs alone anymore, each tweak brings out a litte more something my ears love more and more.
I play anything from classical to blues to rock to crazy experimental stuff.
I haven't found anything I don't like the sound of with these pups yet.

Wish I could do the Spinal Tap thing and go to 11 on my rating. These pickups and the electronics they come with are everything a true Stratocaster really needs to bring it to life and beyond. It's improved my tone so much that it's broken me out of the set it at 10 and live with it approach I've been using for so many years to actually tweaking the onboard settings to fill out my sound even more. The only gripes I can think of are if everything's on 10, they will have a tendency to overdrive themselves very easily, so pulling the volume down a little on the guitar is fine since there's no tone loss. As for the tone pots, I've done like the instructions say and start at 0 and go from there. There is so much of a variety of tones available. Also, when I put this in my rig, the pickguard was a VERY tight fit. So much so that I had to trim a bit from around the neck pocket and bridge plate cutouts, but otherwise everything went together like a dream...I can't believe Fender doesn't sell a Strat with this setup as stock.

Active Pickup set for strat style guitars

1989 USA Fender Strat. Replaced Fender Vintage Noiseless set with a Noiseless Plus in the bridge. I had the original stock pickups in the guitar up until about year ago but HUM HUM they went. Obviously David Gilmore is using these pickups. I was not going for his sound specifically as I am not a huge Pink Floyd fan (I know some of you will shout foul on that) but I do enjoy his tone and lead work very much. I chose to try this set because I installed the EMG ZW set in my Les Paul about a month ago and have totally enjoyed the results and the benefits of active pickups. I also liked the idea of having more control on my guitar with the active EQ pots.

Output level rips...it totally obvious when you first get them going. Much stronger low end response and had to back off on my settings to comp the difference. I am using a Mesa Boogie TriAxis through a Mesa 2:90 power head. I am running a TC Gmajor parallel directly out the back in stereo and use a GCX switcher for my Keeley Comp, Keeley Java Boost, Electric Mistres, Voodoo Proctavia and MicroVibe. The rest of my pedals are simply for show..hahaha. I have been playing in stereo for a couple of years now through 2 Boogie 1x12 cabs (easire to hall around that 4x12) The pickups truly enhance the response of all the effects. I would go as far as to say they are better pronounced in the mix but not over bearing. I did have to back off on the Comp and the Java Boost to balance things out..this is a good thing though...less noise etc. I am in a band that plays cover tunes in more of a hard rock fasion with an emphasis on 70's 80's and some newer stuff thrown in so we don't get pegged as a retro band. At first I thought I made a mistake by trying these pickups. But once I spent some time with them I began to figure them out. Tone control 1 gives you a high end and a low end boost at the same time. Very good for soloing and for playing chords and picking on the clean settings. You get the true Strat Quack in the number 4 pickup setting (bridge/middle combo)from this setting. Very versital. The tone control 2 is more of a mid boost. More subtle in positoin 2 and 4 however in position 1 and 5, you reap good benefit in making them ballsy up a bit. Using the 2 tone controls together is the true benefit here. I find that if I put both of the tone controls at 50% adjust my preamp to suite a satisfying sound, lock it in and then from there start experimenting that I can arrive at so many combinations that I wound up taking notes. It's exactly what I was hoping for. something that I could control right at the guitar on the fly. Ultimately it's all a matter of taste but I find that I am happy with getting more of a standard Strat sound but am able to get rid of the ice picks and the mud. I can get tones similar to Brian May in position 4 (one of my all time goals) and in clean setting get a very nice SRV and as you can imagine David Gilmore sound. Neck position pickup is a dream. I use this position for so much soling that my other pickups get lonely. I arrive at a much more focused tone with outstanding detail unlike any Fender Pickup I have ever used. It punchy, great detail, sustain like crazy so much so that I have found myself backing of on the volume in some cases...by the way...this is another great benefit of active pickups on both the DG and the ZW sets. No tone loss. You can actually use it as a DRIVE control rather than just muddying up and fading into the mix. Probably the single best benefit over all on both sets.

It destroyed or stolen, I would replace right away. This is true of both my guitars. I have been a nay sayer for years and year (28 years as a player) on active pickups. I sure wish I would have pulled my head out of my ass sooner. All the things that I whined about on my guitar have pretty much dissappeared. No hums, great output, turn volume pot down with no tonal change, on board EQ settings for better control, a full pallet of potential sounds, beautiful perloid set up with unlimited capabilities. I am unable to compare this to any other pickup I have used...and I have used all the biggies Fender, Gibson, Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio, Joe Barden, Lace Sensor and even have a set Fralins (which are nice in my Tele). These are the best but be ready to spend a few hours just dialing things in. If you are using good gear, have a good touch and a good set of ears, I see no reason why anyone would be unhappy with this purchase. Don't be affraid....try them out. The only thing I wish was that they looked more like original stock with the poles in them. People think I am using Lace Sensor pickups at gigs with the way the look from a distance. Then they look at me like I am crazy for using active pickups...I know where they are coming from but they juuuuuuuuuuust DOOOOOOOONT know. hahaha

Single coil

Fender American Strat.
All 3 pickups.
Stock pickups.
The DG baby!!
wanted something new with a little more ummphh!

The output level wwas great, I noticed better response in the lows. Im using a Fender DeVille tube amp with a bunch of stomp boxes, all Boss stuff. I like to play some funk but mostly rock.

Pros-
-I would definetely recommend these pickups to someone wanting to change their sound. These pickups have the form and the function.
-I love the off white pickups and the pickguars is just gorgeous.
-I like the tone controls that came with the setup.
-EMG quality
Cons
-The installation manual could have been updated to let you know that there is a green wire instead of a white one that is pictured in the installation manual.
-EMG can have more than one Tech working so that if that tech goes on vacation they can still help customers.
-The battery is gonna suck to replace.

All in all Im happy with my purchase,I wanted to thank all of you who wrote reviews on this product because it helped me very much in making my decision.

Everyone pretty much knows this info already

I had this set put into an left handed SX Strat from Rondo Guitars.(Great Guitar for the price, by the way) It has a natural finish with a maple neck fitted with real JUMBO frets and creme binding. The face dots are moved off-center and really make the guitar look unique. But enough about the guitar, you want to read about the pickups.

All the electronics were replaced; pickups, switch, controls, and jack. The tone controls are what really makes this set sound great. You're able to dial in nearly every type of sound imanginable. It can go from really subtle sounding to a nice mid-range boost to a really, really shiny sound. With the tone controls turned down all the way, you get the "un-modded" sound, which to me was really weak sounding (but some people go for that, take John Mayer for example) I, personally, enjoy turning up the mid-control all the way and the Bass/Treble control half-way. This gives me a really screaming tone, perfect for my dual overdrive set-up. I pretty much play anything with a huge overdriven guitar sound. I could not get a bad sound out of these pickups. They were definently worth the money I shelled out.

HOWEVER, I did encounter a problem which to me was a serious one. You cannot use your wah pedal while playing this guitar, not matter what settings you use. I guess that's why Gilmour doesn't use one, instead he uses multiple distortions, overdrives, and fuzzes to change his tone. I have since given up using my wah with this guitar and have taken a page from David and began using different types of overdrives and fuzz pedals to go from rhythm to lead.

I'm not disappointed with the purchase. I would buy it again if I had to.

That's well covered territory by now.

'99 Am Std Strat. Ash body, maple board. I replaced stock everything with the EMG system. A friend bought them new about five years ago, and wanted out of them. I read alot about them, and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Plus, I had played his guitar with these installed and thought it sounded good.

O.K., let's get this out now. I know a couple tunes by Pink Floyd, but I'm not a huge fan. I'm also not trying to cop anyone's particular tone, so they may sound just like Gilmour and I wouldn't know it. On to the review. These are HOT! I had to turn my amp volume down a couple notches as compared to my stock strat settings, and I had the PUPS fairly low in the pickguard! EMG says to crank 'em up near the strings for a better signal to noise ratio, but then I feel like I would be turning my amp down too much and getting out of it's sweet spot. At the moment, I play through a peavey classic 30 with JJ tubes, and I'm not really an effects guy. Tone on this set is super clean, the pups are very quiet, SPC and EXG controls work well as a basic preset EQ, and there are a lot of tones available. Experiment with pickup height as these are VERY sensitive to adjustment. However, I personally like classic, warm, glassy, strat tone best, and these didn't really deliver what I wanted. I like them O.K., and the various tonal options were interesting, but I went back to stock. These PUP's are kind of like a modeling amp, it does a lot of things tonally, but doesn't do any of them very well. These aren't quite humbucker, not quite old school single coil. While I don't think these are bad, they aren't for me. EMG deserves a lot of credit for putting out such a complete, well designed system. I give them an 8 for versatility.

Been playing 14 years, most of that time acoustic. Other stuff I own, (or once owned): Am. ser. tele, jap 60's reissue strat, two '83 Ibanez roadstars, Taylor 310, Martin D1, Yairi WY1, Takamine FP360SC, Fender vibrolux reissue, Fender hot rod deluxe, Behringer ACX 1000, various PA's, processors, stompboxes, etc. I sold my set, but I wouldn't have a problem recommending these to someone else. They didn't work for me because I wanted more classic strat, and the tonal variation, while nice, didn't sell me on them. I realize that the '99 Am. Std PUP's aren't the best, but I like them well enough. There's something to be said for being happy with what you have. Good Luck!

3 active single coil pickups
EXG and SPC equalizers

91 Strat Ultra

Eh.

First of all, you should listen to the pickups by themselves without the EXG and SPC. Kind of straightforward, clean but not a lot of character IMO.

Then you add in the EXG and the SPC and you can get some decent sounds but they are all just essentially EQs, nothing you can't easily recreate with passive pickups outside the guitar.

Took these back out after a month. They were not the right choice for me. I tend to be a purist and like a guitar plugged right into a simple tube amp with warm tones, not a lot of effects and such.

I expect the main benefits of this pickup set are 1) to give a strong signal that will drive a lot of effects and 2) allow you to EQ your sound on your guitar knobs instead of on an external device. I think they are also definitely for those looking for a crystal clear tone, not a classic warmer tone.

Set of 3 for stratocaster

1981 JV Squier Strat
All positions
Original Pickups
No
David Gilmour,Azhar Kamal
Love of EMG??s

Mid output
Vintage Twin and 1971 JMP Marshall 100w with 4 x 12" Speakers of same year and brand.
Tone: Meaty,Beaty,Big and Bouncy.
Style: Versatile(Funk,Rock,Blues,Jazz). Studio Sessions.Work impeccably.

I definitely would use them again.
Playing professionally since 1985 as a studio land live player.
I love everything about them and the only drawback is that you have to change batteries quicker if you don`t unplug the guitar when not in use. I even unplug em between sets in a live envoronment.
EMG??s are rather unique and a very definitive choice when recording with DAW??s and using plug in amps like the guitar rig or the logic amp pro etc... they have very good signal to noise ratio, i.e they are very discreet(did i mention that i am a zappa fan?).
Compared to my vintage strat(1961) they sound so much more vibrant and eclectic. the EXG and SPC systems are wonderfullly calibrated and are especially good in conjunction with tube amps live as they make excessive gain shaping pedals redundant.check em out.

Pickup features: Active single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Strat Plus 1996 Fender Anniversary model
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: I bought it with the DG20 set installed
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: David Gilmour
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Bits of everything
Reason for pickup change: They came with the guitar

Perceived output level: I have had these in this guitar since i bought it a year ago. This review is to let you know my experience with these. Today, the sound from these is amazing, see my comments at the end.
Tone: Lots of option, using the EXG, SPC controls. You can dial in a nice round mid boost, or a more cutting bass/treble boost.
Sonic evaluation: Previously: Boss GT6, Line6 Spider 212 II amp.
Today: Peavey Classic 50 2*12, lots of good effects pedals.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play in a Pink Floyd tribute band.

Comments: Ok... here is the main point of this review.
When i first got these i thought they sounded good, but not what i was expecting. I was using a GT6 and a Spider 2 amp, and previously i had been happy with my sound. I didnt get the sound i wanted at first, i was happy but not overjoyed.
Over the space of a year i started upgrading my equipment - I bought a Peavey Classic tube amp, and ditched the GT6 in favour of a set of really good pedals (Big Muff, Mistress, Barber LTD, Reezafratzitz, SPF Ego Booster, Boss DD3, MXR Dynacomp, Phase 90 and more...). I then realised it had been a year since i changed the battery (and wasnt sure how old the battery was), so, off came the strings and in went a new battery....... WOW!!!!!! the difference in sound was amazing...
It was the new battery which had made me notice the difference.
Using the GT6 and Spider did these pickups no favours. To hear what these babies can do you really need to plug them into some good equipment (and keep the battery fresh). I am now completely won over, these are great pickups, and i can get the Dave Gilmour tone from Pulse soooo much easier now.
Great :)

Pickup features: single coil strat replacement
Impedence or other specs: Low imp.

Model of guitar or bass: Fender frankencaster (all american,best parts) Custom frets 65 nk
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: varoius
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: plenty
You musical style(s): everything I can get my hands on
Reason for pickup change: Noise

Perceived output level: Adjustable (has a mid and bass/ treble boost respectively)
Tone: It's all in there, up to you
Sonic evaluation: I use anything and everything when recording. Live, old boogie mk2b,tubed with 5781-a nos, mullard and tesla nos. Sounds the way it was desienged too, and then some.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I'm a session player, and live also. These pick-ups allow me to leave a forest of guitars at home.

Comments: Stealing is not an option, definatley not recomended in my neighborhood. If these went down I'd re-up for sure. Having had emg's since thier inception I can say I've had no problems, period.
In comparison to others I would say I've heard stuff I love, but nothing has the ability to take on so many different sounds, and naturally well, not modeled.
Everyone has tastes an opinions, these seem to satisfy just about everyone with an imagination.

Pickup features: Active single coils
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: MIM Fender Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: All of 'em...
Other pickups on guitar: None...they all sucked so they all had to go.
Artists using this pickup: David Gilmour, myself and everyone else who was smart enough to buy this system.
You musical style(s): Rock, punk, pop and blues...
Reason for pickup change: Well it's no secret that Fender's Mexi-guitars usually have crap stock pickups and since they don't shield their pickup cavities there's a TON of that annoying buzz.

Perceived output level: Hot and loud.
Tone: I usually play music with distortion ala Weezer, Green Day, AC/DC and listening to these pickups is like eating a good piece of cheesecake...rich and creamy!!!
Sonic evaluation: My beloved Stratocaster thru a variety of Marshalls.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a great match for anyone who plays anything! It's SO versatile.

Comments: I'm completely happy with this system. HOWEVER, I wish that it was offered on a different pickguard. I'm not a fan of white pearloid. I think it looks stupid with cream-colored pickups. No worries, I have a tortoise shell pickguard waiting for these babies...
ALSO...I have figured out how to alleviate removing the pickguard for battery changes. I'll tell you how but it may not work for everyone.
Okay, here goes...since I don't use the tremolo, I had previously blocked it off. During the installation of the DG-20, I threaded the battery clip wires from the back of the guitar thru the hole in the tremolo cavity where the string ground wire went. This called for adding a couple of lengths of wire to the red and black wires coming from the battery clip so that they still reached their destinations. Next, I installed two of the tremolo springs...One in the first and last spots so that I could put the battery in between them and keep it from banging around back there. Then, I took a thin piece of foam from the system's packaging and laid it down between the two springs. Lastly, I placed the battery on the foam between the two springs and closed the trem cover. Now I don't have to mess with the pickguard to change batteries.

Pickup features: single coil, with pearl pick guard
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender 50th Annv. Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Harmonic Design and Fender '54's
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Me.
You musical style(s): Alt rock (clean channel stuff) to heavier rock (lead tones) Eric Johnson to Zakk Wylde to Slash to SRV
Reason for pickup change: the noise/hum of vintage pu's was driving me nuts.

Perceived output level: they have more output than passive pickups, but the lack of noise/hum makes them seem even louder and fuller. Its so nice to have more than just 2 settings that are clear.
Tone:
Sonic evaluation: I have more gear than most people ever will. Les Pauls, Ernie Ball EVH, Zakk Marshall JCM800, early 90's 5150, Marshall 4x12, Mesa Boogie 2x12, Vox combo, etc... I also run the music division of a Hollywood TV/Film studio. So I have a good place to compare. These pickups really give your strat a clean clear sound. The strat "quack" still there, and the crystal, bell-like clean too. With my Fulltone overdrive into my Vox combo is amazing with a warm lead. Totally able to shred and make the guitar sing, and then fade back in a super clean rhythm. The Harmonic Design Vintage Strat Plus pickups were good (way better than the 54 Fenders), but at stage volume or even in the studio I just got so tired of the hum and noise. Now, silence! The silence is overwhelming, that you think the pickups are louder. They have a little more output (20%?), but the lack of noise makes it seem like (50%). So my effects are clearly heard without the underlying noise in them. They just sound like you're playing on a well produced record. The onboard pre-amps are just the icing on the cake. they add that strat quak attack or add a more in your face lead tone.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock

Comments: For a Strat and lead playing this is just a great set. All these reviews are absolutely correct about the DG-20. I like it so much I'm curious what the VG (Vince Gill set) would sound like too...might have to buy another strat for those!!

Pickup features: Active single-coils.
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender American Deluxe Series Strat S-1
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Samarium Cobalt Noiseless
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: David Gilmour
You musical style(s): Various
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a nice bluesy distortion and more power from a direct replacement active single-coil pickup set. David Gilmour's guitar solos are very smooth and silky, so either using EMGs or Lace Sensors, the result remains the same, thanks to an active mid-boost circuit which produces a good bunch of sweeping tones, ranging from classic Fender clean to scorching distortion.

Perceived output level: These active stacked-coil humbucking pickups are hot indeed, but they are extremely low in buzz and hum which is especially important when you're running with a lot of effects or a big rack. They use Alnico magnets which give a warmer tone with a little more midrange than the EMG-S. The low-impedance design preserves your tone quality when using a cord or wireless transmitter. Useful for Pink Floyd, Dire Straits and Clapton stuff.
Tone: EMG DG20 pickups provide an incredibly balanced tone. You'll get a fat, punchy humbucking output when using the SPC mid boost circuit. The EXG guitar expander adds further sparkle and clarity to the top-end and works well in conjunction with the SPC mid-boost to compensate for any lack of highs when that control is full-on.
Sonic evaluation: I'll opt for a 135W Silverface Twin Reverb and a big rack of cool FX. Dave uses HiWatt amps and a 1984 vintage '57 reissue Candy Apple Red Strat equipped with a set of active EMG single-coils. I'd like to use a maple-neck 2004 American Deluxe Strat with S-1 switching for a try. It appears that the EMG DG20 set will work perfectly with the S-1 system.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Everything. From blues to country, with dashes of pop, folk, jazz, boogie and classic rock. EMGs are suitable for use in all positions.

Comments: Primarily known as an acoustic player (I have a Yamaha FG420A dreadnought guitar), I've always wanted a better sounding guitar which suits perfectly these music styles. David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton are my main influences. Using a Strat with a set of DG20 pickups through a Zoom 504II acoustic floor simulator, an Alesis Nanoverb pedal and an Electric Mistress flanger is a dream. Playing guitar since 1986 and bass since 1995. I strongly recommend the DG20 set for those players want glassy crystal-clear tones and creamy humbucker crunch without that nasty 60-cycle buzz which is synonymous with the "stock" single-coil pickup.

Pickup features: SINGLE COIL FOR STRAT LIKE GUITAR
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Chinese squier strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock squier p.u.s
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Gilmour and probably somebody else
You musical style(s): Blues, Jazz, Rock, modern and classic
Reason for pickup change: I bought the squeir to fool around with. I tried Duncans first, and a friend had DG-20s which sounded better

Perceived output level: many tone variables, active sounding, glassy, brittle, muddy bottom
Tone: tone is variable depending on pickup and amp tuning
Sonic evaluation: I use this with a Legacy 100Watt, a Matchless Chieftain and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. It is awful with a POD, and I use a volume pedal and sometimes a Tubescreamer.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I started using it on stage and found that it is consistent, and easy to manage. I was playing rock, but found that the guitar sound was warm, still identifiable. I was actually pretty surprised.

Comments: I've been playing 34 years. I have 8 guitars, 53LP, 58 Strat, G&L asat classic, 68 tele, this squier, carved top tele 03, 67 Gibson Hummingbird, 98 Heritage H575. It is the only active pickup guitar I have, so is unique. I don't like the muddy bottom, but very much like the tone variations you can get in all the strat pickup positions. If you don't like the tone, work with your amp. good pickups can't save a piece of crap amp.

Pickup features: Active Stacked Hum-cancelling Single Coils
Impedence or other specs: Low

Model of guitar or bass: Carvin kit guitar
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Carvin passive single coils
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: David Gilmour, Mike Kneally, etc..
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Jazz
Reason for pickup change: I wanted the single coil sound, but also a more muscular tone.

Perceived output level: The output is high, but it doesn't overpower guitar equipment
Tone: balanced and sweet
Sonic evaluation: I use a Marshall JCM800 combo, and a Vox AC15 with the blue Alnico speaker. I also use a Korg AX100G effects pedal.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: country pickin, rock riffin, jazz lickin

Comments: I would definitely get these again. They aren't soulless - soul is up to you. I have been using these for about three years now. I think if no one is looking, they can't tell you have active pickups. They will think that you switch guitars a lot because of the extreme versatility in your sound. You can get a totally clean jazz sound that sounds the same as an acoustic with a pickup, to a vintage strat sound, to a country tele sound, to a hard rocking les paul sound. There is a different feel to these than passive pickups. These are a little more smooth and bluesy. I am sure if you have a trebly sounding amp, they could sound brittle, but so can a vintage strat. You can buy pickups that SRV used, and sound like him, or you can be like him and go after the tone that you want to hear. I think these pickups have helped me get closer to the frequency response that I want to hear.

Pickup features: active...
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: I NEVER FINISHED!!!
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level:
Tone: doesnt get too middy. with my setup anyways. gets glassy when it wants to be, but i love that. clean, it sounds amazing.
Sonic evaluation: Lamia (guitar)>hendrix wah (bypass modded)>dod YJM 308>pre dunlop MXR Distortion+>dod EQ>old boss noise supressor (japanese made)>vintage dod chorus>Rock Amp Studio lead with crate 4x12 with greenbacks. thats only the setup with this guitar, my rig changes between guitars.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: metal, blues, and shred. does blues GREAT. does some awesome malmsteen shred...not so hot on metal, but you get the idea.

Comments: if it were destroyed or stolen...id prolly cry for a while. along while. i would go and find another. these are definitely a thing to own. even if you dont put it ina guitar, its just great to own. i dont hate anything about it. i dont like emg...but i love this. to me, i dont get what all the hype about 81s and 85s are. theyre not THAT great. i personally love passive. but this system is great.

Pickup features: active...
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: gibson custom "strat"
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: original pickgaurd with stock single coils (neck and middle) and dimarzio dp100 (bridge)
Other pickups on guitar: mmm...
Artists using this pickup: david gilmour
You musical style(s): blues (SRV), shred (malmsteen, vai, becker, satch), metal (megadeth, iron maiden) and well...pink floyd.
Reason for pickup change: volume pot got thrashed, so i had to change it, or get whole new pickup system, since i had the money anyways.

Perceived output level: well...i wouldnt say that theyre so hot. but i love that, especially for malmsteen. nearly nails his tone. i love this pickup system.
Tone:
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments:

Pickup features: single coil active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: warmoth strat rear routed
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: new installation
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: david gilmore
You musical style(s): blues , rock, metal
Reason for pickup change: this was a guitar built for me and these are the pickups i chose to go in.

Perceived output level: hot
Tone: balanced
Sonic evaluation: warmoth strat , maple neck/fretboard, fender usa bridge, line 6 ax212 amp or art sgx 2000 processor.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play from clean to blues to metal, i find no problems getting the right tones from any position

Comments: im very satisfied with the tones i get , i can almost get an acoustic sound in the neck position and the right tone pot settings,in the bridge i can a great distortion for any metal playing, very precise attack. alot of people complain about these pickups being steril sounding, i think they need to learn to adjust their amps i can get very warm sounds out of these and they are very quiet. i took the pickups out of the pickguard and mounted them directly into the wood since my guitar is rear routed. i would buy again if i had too.

Pickup features: single coil, spc, exg
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Classic Series 70's Stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock vintage single coils
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: DAVE GILMOUR, me
You musical style(s): BLUES, BLUES ROck, rock, alt
Reason for pickup change: looking for something different

Perceived output level: very high output, but the pu.s arent what i consider "hot"
Tone: very balanced and sonic; very glassy and clean
Sonic evaluation: took some getting use to. They come off as being sterile at first, but after doodling with my friends vintage Fenders, they do indeed sound very vintage. Compared to my uncles Buddy Guy Strat, I dont think it can pull the mids like the BG, but the BG cant get as "glassy" as the DG20 setup. Through my effects, (Jimmy Hendrix Wah, Boss eq20 eq, MXR 151, Holy Grail, Boss Chorus) it makes my distortion just sing. Can get very sonic highs and mids.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, alt, (I still perfer my passive pu's for my blues)

Comments: These are the very good pickups for Strat based rock or early Buddy Guy based blues (He is GOD) I love how clean they can get and can push through any amount of effects. They are not as bassy as i would like but the handle any modern music pretty well. They do take some getting use to, but once you do , you start to really favor them as oppose to passive pu's

Pickup features: Single
Impedence or other specs: low impedance, active

Model of guitar or bass: Standard Strat US, 1989
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: standard stock
Other pickups on guitar: no
Artists using this pickup: Guess...
You musical style(s): broad
Reason for pickup change: Noise, experiment.

Perceived output level: Nice, good level.
Tone: Clean
Sonic evaluation: Lots of pedals, a few rack items and then into my computer.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: blues in the large sense of the word, improvisation. Like to experiment.

Comments: I've been playing elec. guitar for 14 years now (double period for classical). I just love the sound of my Strat and will replace stock pickups soon. Just to check the difference.
I admire the chord quality and definition with these pick ups. Its simply quite amazing. For a lead tone, I could get a very nice deep bluesy sound out of the pick ups with the help of the EXG and SPC, but contrary to what most ppl here say, I find it quite difficult to dial in a *soulfull* tone. Effects help, but i miss my original tone. BTW, for those mimicking the DG tone: for me personally, the best DG is all before "The final cut". My personal guitar highlights (not Pink Floyd highlights, which includes all the really old stuff) are: WYWH, Animals and The Wall (and i know every record at heart!) These albums have been made mostly with standard strat pick-ups, some others, but none with the EMG-SA coils. I made myself a faithfull copy of an Orange Treble and Bass booster, and it brings me a lot closer to this original sound than these pick ups.
And yes, these pick ups do help to define your sound "in the mix".

Pickup features: 3 singles
Impedence or other specs: extra EMG circuitry. read the other reviews for specs

Model of guitar or bass: Squier II Stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock pieces of crap
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Davey Gilmour
You musical style(s): rock, blues, jazz, metal
Reason for pickup change: I liked the playability of my guitar, but the electronics SUCKED, so I just replaced everything with something with better quality. Plus, the DG approval helped.

Perceived output level: CLEAN. Surgically precise. I haven't had the chance to plug into my normal rig yet, but through my practice amp... mighty nice. You have to fiddle with the tone knobs to get the cleanest, clearest sound.
Tone: Depends on the settings on your guitar and amp. Ranges from muddy to crystal clear. Warm and wide to thin and brittle. Really flexible little buggers.
Sonic evaluation: I've so far run into my Digitech RP-100, into my computer, through Altec Lansing speakers. I have an ADA MP-1 and a Roland JC-120 that I have to get to still, but their packed away to get moved right now, so that's out. So far, though, clean picking is very precise and dynamics are great. I used to have a horrible problem when sitting in front of my computer with hum... but that's all gone now. I certainly like the lead tones that I can get out of it, and it makes my RP-100 actually sound decent.
Plus the pickguard makes it look pretty sweet.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: As above, there's rock, blues, jazz, and metal. The only thing this isn't SO great for is metallica-style rhythm work. It's too muddy at the bottom end and to brittle when the SPC is turned down.

Comments: I would buy it again in an instant if stolen.
I've been playing about 10 years, with just over a year of being in a band. I have 3 other guitars; an Epi Les Paul with an EMG 81, an Epi Goth Explorer with stock pickups, and an Ibanez acoustic. With the new pickups, the Squier finally competes with my other electrics. The hum used to be so bad I'd want to throw my guitar across the room... now I'm clear and loud and almost totally noiseless (depending on amp settings). The only problem I have with it is remembering which pot does what. I still can't think of it, just sitting here. Hm. Actually, there's two problems. My pickguard holes didn't line up with the ones already drilled in my guitar. I don't know if that's because of the Squier part or because the holes were in the wrong place on the pickguard, as they're only off by like an eighth of an inch.
I think this pickup combo is probably about the closest I'll come to getting a good sound (to my ears) without overhauling my entire amp rig... even though I'm going to do that anyway. ;)

Pickup features: Single coil active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: '03 American Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock American Pups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Uncle Dave
You musical style(s): Classic rock, blues
Reason for pickup change: Liked the tone of the stock pups but really aggravating 60 cycle hum

Perceived output level: Loudest single coils I have ever used
Tone: Clear - clean - ice-pick clean.
Sonic evaluation: Strat/Pod XT/Fender Stage 100

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues/Classic Rock.

Comments: I can see users attempting to emulate the DG tone (as I was) flocking to this set and I was impressed with the range of the tones the two EQ pots allowed, but these active pups were simply too sterile for my liking. 'Warm' sounds could be achieved tweaking the EQs, but was too surgical and cold for my liking. I prefer these slightly over the Fender Lace Sensors I had in my Strat Plus Deluxe as they offer more range, but they are simply too loud and cold for my liking (even with the pups way low in the body.) Sadly, these are going back to the store.

Pickup features: Active Single coils, SPC and EXG, you know by now.
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 2003 MIA Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock single coils
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: David Gilmour (Live)
You musical style(s): Rock, pop, blues, jazz, country, ambient, electronic, modern, experimental......
Reason for pickup change: Single coil noise, wanted better distortion tones.

Perceived output level: Loud, but clear with the EXG. Turn the SPC up and it sounds very hot/slightly dirty.
Tone: On their own, muddy. VERY muddy and flat. The SA's are pretty poor, I must say, sound like Strat pickups with the tone rolled all the way down, only with less character. The EQ to my ears does what its meant to do, but doesnt really improve the sound and "feel" of things. The SPC turns your pickups into humbuckers, but they dont sound much like humbuckers, or any other guitar pickups really. The EXG makes things very clear and clean, FAR too much for my liking. The sound is so sterile it hurts at times. Theres no real character or definition here at all, they dont sound like guitar pickups at all, even though they cost twice as much.
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: